D-Bot_Linear_Z-guide by printingSome

Last crawled date: 3 years, 1 month ago

This thing replaces the wheels and wheel-guides for the Z-axis.
I used:
2 Mounts for SCS12LUU-block
3 Bed_Support_Mounts
2 ø12x600mm linear shafts
2 SCS12LUU Linear Ball Bearing Block
4 SK12 linear rail shaft supports
For those shafts, SCS12LUU's and supports together I paid less then €40.-
24 M5x16 bolts
16 M5 hammerheads
24 M5 washers (I used 2 washers for the SK12 bolts each)
You have a choice between 2 different mounts for the SCS12LUU-blocks: a hooked one and a straight one.
If you have enough room, use the straight ones and you won't need the bed support mounts either.
I now use the straight ones.
At first because of my Bed Hoist for a 3D Printer - Final Version, https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3732450 but then I went back to one lead screw at the back (build-in with motor, because of the quality), which leaves me with enough room for the straight ones.
For those who don't have enough room for the straight ones, here is my rationale for the hooked ones I used first.
I have a bed of 326x326mm with 3 mounting holes, 10mm from the edges. That didn't leave me enough room for those straight ones...
I even had to shift the bed support rails inwards for more room. I couldn't place the original bed supports at the outside of the rails because the bed would clash with the lead screws.
So I made these bed support mounts which place the mounting holes of the bed in the center of the rail.
The difference in height at the front and the back of the rails with these SCS12LUU-blocks is much smaller then before with the wheels (at least in my case ;-) ) so you need less travel for your M3 bolt.
The length of this bolt depends on your setup. You need one, plus 1 M3 nut, for each mount.
But be careful: because of the short bolts you could introduce some more sideways movement of the bed. I saw these supports as an emergency solution.
WIth the wheels out of the way I could make a simple 1-part Z-endstop, accommodating a simple mechanic microswitch as well as an electro-mechanic one, which one can use at the upper right as well as the lower left.
Edit (16-03-18): added a Z-endstop and a warning about the bed supports.
Edit (March 28, 2020): added a comment about the straight ones.